Shelf structure

ABSTRACT

A shelf structure may include four vertical posts, a plurality of spacers, a plurality of connecting tubes and at least two shelf boards. Each of the vertical posts has a plurality of peripheral grooves separated with the same interval and sequentially formed on a surface thereof, and each of spacers comprises two arc pieces which are configured to fit together to secure the spacer on the vertical post. When an additional shelf board is needed, a user can directly mount the spacers and connecting tubes respectively on the four vertical posts to enable the additional shelf board to be assembled between the vertical posts, thereby achieving the quick-assembly effect. Moreover, the connecting tube has two engaging slots which enable an additional shelf board to be directly assembled and extended from a side of the shelf when cooperating with additional vertical posts.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a shelf structure, and moreparticularly to a shelf structure with low manufacturing cost andconvenient to use.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIG. 16, a conventional shelf (50) comprises a plurality ofsupporting posts (51) and a plurality of shelf boards (52), and each ofthe supporting posts (51) has a plurality of peripheral grooves (511)sequentially formed on a post body thereof. A plurality of locatingmembers (53) is configured to dispose on the post body of the supportingpost (51), and each of the locating members (53) comprises two arcpanels which are configured to fit together to form a tapered-drumshape. Each of the locating members (53) has an engaging rib (531)protruding from an inner edge thereof. The shelf board (52) is made ofmetal bars through welding, and each of four corners of the shelf board(52) is connected with a connecting tube (521) through welding. A usercan secure corresponding locating members (53) on the supporting posts(51) at a same height, and each of the engaging ribs (531) of thelocating member (53) is configured to engage with the peripheral groove(511). Moreover, the connecting tubes (521) of the single shelf board(52) are configured to firmly couple with the locating members (53) atthe same height thereby enabling the shelf board (52) to be supported bythe supporting posts (51).

However, the conventional shelf is disadvantageous because: (i) theshelf board (52) is secured between the supporting posts (51) throughconnecting the connecting tubes (521) with the locating members (53) atthe same height. In this way, each of the connecting tubes (521) has tofirmly couple with the locating member (53) to steady the shelf board.As a result, after assembly, the locating members (53) cannot be movedfreely and the shelf (50) has limitations when needing to add more shelfboards (52) thereon according to use conditions; and (ii) afterassembly, a user cannot directly assemble additional shelf boards (52)without more supporting posts, which is inconvenient to use. Therefore,there remains a need for a new and improved design for a shelf toovercome the problems presented above.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a shelf structure which comprises fourvertical posts, a plurality of spacers, a plurality of connecting tubesand at least two shelf boards. Each of the vertical posts has aplurality of peripheral grooves separated with the same interval andsequentially formed on a surface thereof, and each of spacers comprisestwo arc pieces which are configured to fit together to secure the spaceron the vertical post. Moreover, an inner surface of the arc piece has arib which is adapted to be received in and engaged with the peripheralgroove. Each of the connecting tubes has a first arc member and a secondarc member, which are configured to fit together and couple around anouter periphery of the spacer, wherein the spacers and the connectingtubes are formed in a tapered-drum shape. Additionally, each of twolateral ends of the first arc member has a first engaging portion and anL-shaped first protruding piece respectively formed at a middle portionand protruding from a lower portion thereof. Also, each of two lateralends of the second arc member comprises a second engaging portion and anL-shaped second protruding piece respectively formed at a middle portionand protruding from a lower portion thereof. The first arc member isconfigured to fit together with the second arc member, and the two firstengaging portions of the first arc member are adapted to respectivelyengage with the two second engaging portions of the second arc member atcorresponding positions. Furthermore, each of the two first protrudingpieces is configured to abut against the corresponding second protrudingpiece to form an engaging slot above the first protruding piece and thesecond protruding piece. Each of the two shelf boards has four arcpanels evenly located at two parallel edges thereof; i.e. each of thetwo edges has two arc panels, and the two arc panels on one edge arelocated at positons corresponding to the two arc panels at another edge.Furthermore, each of the arc panels comprises two engaging notchesupwardly formed from a bottom edge thereof, and an engaging member isformed between the two engaging notches. In addition, the shelf board isconfigured to be positioned between the four vertical posts.

Comparing with conventional shelves, the present invention isadvantageous because: (i) the single connecting tube is mounted on thevertical post through fitting the first arc member and the second arcmember together, and the four corresponding connecting tubes are mountedon the four vertical posts at the same height such that the shelf boardis configured to be horizontally assembled between the vertical poststhrough engaging the arc panels with the engaging slots; when anadditional shelf board is needed, a user can directly mount the spacersand connecting tubes respectively on the four vertical posts to enablethe additional shelf board to be assembled between the vertical posts,thereby achieving the quick-assembly effect; and (ii) the two engagingslots are respectively located at the outer periphery and innerperiphery of the single vertical post, and by cooperating with twoadditional vertical posts, an additional shelf board is configured to bedirectly assembled between the two vertical posts at a designated edgeof the shelf and the two additional vertical posts, which lowers thecosts and greatly increases the practicability of the shelf.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a three-dimensional assembly view of a shelf structure of thepresent invention.

FIG. 2 is a three-dimensional exploded view of the shelf structure ofthe present invention.

FIG. 3 is a partial exploded view of the shelf structure of the presentinvention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view illustrating a connecting tube is mounted ona vertical post of the shelf structure in the present invention.

FIG. 5 is another schematic view illustrating the connecting tube ismounted on the vertical post of the shelf structure in the presentinvention.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view illustrating an edge of a shelf board isengaged with the connecting tube of the shelf structure in the presentinvention.

FIG. 7 is another schematic view illustrating the edge of the shelfboard is engaged with the connecting tube of the shelf structure in thepresent invention.

FIG. 8 is a second embodiment of the connecting tube of the shelfstructure in the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a third embodiment of the connecting tube of the shelfstructure in the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a fourth embodiment of the connecting tube of the shelfstructure in the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a fifth embodiment of the connecting tube of the shelfstructure in the present invention.

FIG. 12 is another embodiment of the shelf board of the shelf structurein the present invention.

FIG. 13 is the third embodiment of the shelf board of the shelfstructure in the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a schematic view illustrating an additional shelf board isassembled with an edge of the shelf structure in the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a schematic view illustrating the shelf board is disengagedfrom the shelf structure of the present invention.

FIG. 16 is a prior art.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The detailed description set forth below is intended as a description ofthe presently exemplary device provided in accordance with aspects ofthe present invention and is not intended to represent the only forms inwhich the present invention may be prepared or utilized. It is to beunderstood, rather, that the same or equivalent functions and componentsmay be accomplished by different embodiments that are also intended tobe encompassed within the spirit and scope of the invention.

Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used hereinhave the same meaning as commonly understood to one of ordinary skill inthe art to which this invention belongs. Although any methods, devicesand materials similar or equivalent to those described can be used inthe practice or testing of the invention, the exemplary methods, devicesand materials are now described.

All publications mentioned are incorporated by reference for the purposeof describing and disclosing, for example, the designs and methodologiesthat are described in the publications that might be used in connectionwith the presently described invention. The publications listed ordiscussed above, below and throughout the text are provided solely fortheir disclosure prior to the filing date of the present application.Nothing herein is to be construed as an admission that the inventors arenot entitled to antedate such disclosure by virtue of prior invention.

In order to further understand the goal, characteristics and effect ofthe present invention, a number of embodiments along with the drawingsare illustrated as following:

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, the present invention provides a shelfstructure which comprises four vertical posts (10), a plurality ofspacers (20), a plurality of connecting tubes (30) and at least twoshelf boards (40). Each of the vertical posts (10) has a plurality ofperipheral grooves (11) separated with the same interval andsequentially formed on a surface thereof, and each of spacers (20)comprises two arc pieces (21) which are configured to fit together tosecure the spacer (20) on the vertical post (10). Moreover, an innersurface of the arc piece (21) has a rib (22) which is adapted to bereceived in and engaged with the peripheral groove (11). Each of theconnecting tubes (30) has a first arc member (31) and a second arcmember (32), which are configured to fit together and couple around anouter periphery of the spacer (20), wherein the spacers (20) and theconnecting tubes (30) are formed in a tapered-drum shape. Additionally,each of two lateral ends of the first arc member (31) has a firstengaging portion (311) and an L-shaped first protruding piece (312)respectively formed at a middle portion and protruding from a lowerportion thereof. Also, each of two lateral ends of the second arc member(32) comprises a second engaging portion (321) and an L-shaped secondprotruding piece (322) respectively formed at a middle portion andprotruding from a lower portion thereof. The first arc member (31) isconfigured to fit together with the second arc member (32), and the twofirst engaging portions (311) of the first arc member (31) are adaptedto respectively engage with the two second engaging portions (321) ofthe second arc member (32) at corresponding positions. Furthermore, eachof the two first protruding pieces (312) is configured to abut againstthe corresponding second protruding piece (322) to form an engaging slot(33) above the first protruding piece (312) and the second protrudingpiece (322). Each of the two shelf boards (40) has four arc panels (41)evenly located at two parallel edges thereof; i.e. each of the two edgeshas two arc panels (41), and the two arc panels (41) on one edge arelocated at positons corresponding to the two arc panels (41) at anotheredge. Furthermore, each of the arc panels (41) comprises two engagingnotches (411) upwardly formed from a bottom edge thereof, and anengaging member (412) is formed between the two engaging notches (411).In addition, the shelf board (40) is configured to be positioned betweenthe four vertical posts (10).

Structurally, referring to FIGS. 1, to 7, the two shelf boards (40) arerespectively and horizontally positioned between the four vertical posts(10) at two different height levels, and the spacers (20) arerespectively and firmly coupled on the surface of the vertical posts(10) through the peripheral grooves (11). The connecting tubes (30) arerespectively engaged with and limited positions by the spacers (20). Inone embodiment, the two first engaging portions (311) at the two lateralends of the first arc member (31) are respectively formed as a firstfastener and a first slot, and the two second engaging portions (321) atthe two lateral ends of the second arc member (32) are respectivelyformed as a second slot and a second fastener, which are configured toengage with the first fastener and the first slot respectively, whereinthe first fastener and the second fastener are configured to be insertedinto and secured inside the first slot and the second slot respectively,thus completing the assembly between the first arc member (31) and thesecond arc member (32). Meanwhile, the two first protruding pieces (312)on the two lateral ends of the first arc member (31) are respectivelyabutted against the two second protruding pieces (322) on the twolateral ends of the corresponding second arc member (32), therebyforming the two engaging slots (33) located at an inner periphery and anouter periphery of the vertical post (10) respectively. Thereafter,through the four arc panels (41) engaged with the engaging slots (33)formed at the inner peripheries of the vertical posts (10), each of thetwo shelf boards (40) is adapted to be engaged with the four connectingtubes (30) and firmly secured between the four vertical posts (10). Inthe assembly process, each of the engaging members (412) of the arcpanel (41) is configured to be positioned downwardly to engaged with theengaging slot (33) located between the first protruding piece (312) andthe second protruding piece (322), thereby completing the assembly.

In another embodiment, referring to FIG. 8, the two first engagingportions (311) at the two lateral ends of the first arc member (31) arerespectively formed as two third fasteners, and the two second engagingportions (321) at the two lateral ends of the second arc member (32) arerespectively formed as two third slots which are configured torespectively engage with the corresponding third fasteners, therebycompleting the assembly between the first arc member (31) and the secondarc member (32). Moreover, in still another embodiment, the two secondengaging portions (321) are respectively formed as two fourth fastenerswhile the two first engaging portions (311) are respectively formed astwo fourth slots, which are configured to engage with the two fourthfasteners respectively, thereby completing the assembly between thefirst arc member (31) and the second arc member (32).

In a further embodiment, referring to FIG. 9, the two first engagingportions (311) at the two lateral ends of the first arc member (31) arerespectively formed as a first oblique hook and a first oblique recess,and the two second engaging portions (321) at the two lateral ends ofthe second arc member (32) are respectively formed as a second obliquerecess and a second oblique hook, which are configured to respectivelyengage with the first oblique hook and the first oblique recess, therebycompleting the assembly between the first arc member (31) and the secondarc member (32).

In still a further embodiment, referring to FIG. 10, the two firstengaging portions (311) at the two lateral ends of the first arc member(31) are respectively formed as two third oblique hooks, and the twosecond engaging portions (321) at the two lateral ends of the second arcmember (32) are respectively formed as two third oblique recesses, whichare configured to respectively engage with the two third oblique hooks,thereby completing the assembly between the first arc member (31) andthe second arc member (32). Additionally, in yet a further embodiment,the two second engaging portions (321) are respectively formed as twofourth oblique hooks while the first second engaging portions (311) arerespectively formed as two fourth oblique recesses, which are configuredto engage with the two fourth oblique hooks respectively, therebycompleting the assembly between the first arc member (31) and the secondarc member (32).

In a particular embodiment, referring to FIG. 11, the two first engagingportions (311) at the two lateral ends of the first arc member (31) arerespectively formed as a first round fastener and a first round slotrespectively, and the two second engaging portions (321) at the twolateral ends of the second arc member (32) are respectively formed as asecond round slot and a second round fastener, which are configured toengage with the first round fastener and the first round slotrespectively, thereby completing the assembly between the first arcmember (31) and the second arc member (32).

In a preferred embodiment, referring to FIG. 12, the four arc panels(41) are configured to firmly secure on four corners of the single shelfboard (40) through welding, and a concave surface of the single arcpanel (41) is faced outwardly.

In an advantageous embodiment, referring to FIG. 13, an upper portion ofthe concave surface of the single arc panel (41) comprises a pluralityof engaging points (413) which are configured to couple with an outersurface of the connecting tube (30) thereby tightly assembling the arcpanel (41) with the connecting tube (30).

Moreover, referring to FIG. 14, after assembly, the two engaging slots(33) of the single connecting tube (30) are respectively located at theinner periphery and the outer periphery of the single vertical post(10), thereby enabling more shelf boards (40) to be assembled at sidesof the shelf. More specifically, two additional vertical posts (10)having the spacers (20) and the connecting tubes (30) thereon arepositioned at a first side of the shelf (10) and separated with apreferred distance same as the distance between the two vertical posts(10) on the first side of the shelf, and one of two engaging slots (33)on the single additional post (10) is configured to align with theengaging slot (33) at the outer periphery of the corresponding verticalpost (10) on the first side of the shelf while the engaging slot (33) onthe other additional post (10) is configured to align with the outerengaging slot (33) located on the other vertical post (10) on the firstside of the shelf. As a result, through engaging the arc panels (41)with the engaging slots (33), an additional shelf board (40) isconfigured to be securely assembled between the two vertical posts (10)at the first side of the shelf and the two additional vertical posts(10) and the additional shelf board (40) is located at the same heightof the corresponding shelf board (40) of the shelf, which is convenientto use. Furthermore, the shelf is configured to be extended from otheredges thereof or further extended from the additional shelf board (40)in the same way.

In addition, referring to FIG. 15, since the shelf board (40) is securedbetween the vertical posts (10) through engaging the engaging members(412) of the arc panels (41) with the engaging slots (33) of theconnecting tubes (30), a user can easily disassemble the shelf board(40) from the shelf by simply pushing the shelf board (40) upwardly todisengage the engaging members (412) from the engaging slots (33).Conversely, the shelf board (40) can be directly assembled between thevertical posts (10) with the same mechanism.

Comparing with conventional shelves, the present invention isadvantageous because: (i) the single connecting tube (30) is mounted onthe vertical post (10) through fitting the first arc member (31) and thesecond arc member (32) together, and the four corresponding connectingtubes (30) are mounted on the four vertical posts (10) at the sameheight such that the shelf board (40) is configured to be horizontallyassembled between the vertical posts (10) through engaging the arcpanels (41) with the engaging slots (33); when an additional shelf board(40) is needed, a user can directly mount the spacers (20) andconnecting tubes (30) respectively on the four vertical posts (10) toenable the additional shelf board (40) to be assembled between thevertical posts (10), thereby achieving the quick-assembly effect; and(ii) the two engaging slots (33) are respectively located at the outerperiphery and inner periphery of the single vertical post (10), and bycooperating with two additional vertical posts (10), an additional shelfboard (40) is configured to be directly assembled between the twovertical posts (10) at a designated edge of the shelf and the twoadditional vertical posts (10), which lowers the costs and greatlyincreases the practicability of the shelf.

Having described the invention by the description and illustrationsabove, it should be understood that these are exemplary of the inventionand are not to be considered as limiting. Accordingly, the invention isnot to be considered as limited by the foregoing description, butincludes any equivalents. Application No. 15/585,055 Listing of andAmendments to the Claims Including Status Indicators:

1. A shelf structure comprising: four vertical posts; each of thevertical posts having a plurality of peripheral grooves separated withthe same interval and sequentially formed on a surface thereof; aplurality of spacers; each of the spacers comprising two arc pieceswhich are configured to fit together to secure the spacer on thevertical post, and an inner surface of the arc piece having a rib whichis adapted to be received in and engaged with the peripheral groove; aplurality of connecting tubes; each of the connecting tubes, which isconfigured to couple around an outer periphery of the spacer, having twoengaging slots at two corresponding sides thereof; and at least twoshelf boards; each shelf board secured by at least two arc panels whichare evenly located at two parallel edges thereof and enable the shelfboard to be horizontally positioned between the four vertical posts,wherein the two arc panels on one edge of the shelf board are located atpositions corresponding to the two arc panels at another edge thereof;each of the arc panels comprising two engaging notches upwardly formedfrom a bottom edge thereof, and an engaging member, which is formedbetween the two engaging notches, configured to engage with the engagingslot of the connecting tube, wherein an upper portion of the arc panelcomprises a plurality of substantially triangular engaging points whichare configured to couple with an outer surface of the connecting tube totightly assemble the arc panel with the connecting tube.
 2. The shelfstructure of claim 1, wherein the spacers and the connecting tubes areformed in a tapered-drum shape.